Balakot
Encyclopedia
Balakot is a town in Mansehra District
in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan
. The town was destroyed during the 2005 earthquake and later rebuilt with the assistance of the Government of Pakistan
and Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV), a Saudi relief organization. A separate project, initiated by the Government of Pakistan
'New Balakot City' is being developed near Mansehra
, with plans to relocate the population of two Union Councils of Balakot, demarcated as a Red Zone.
Balakot is located at 34°33′N 73°21′E about thirty-eight kilometers north-east of the city of Mansehra
, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
It is a historical town, a famous tourist destination of the region and the gateway to Kaghan valley
of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan
. The river Kunhar, originating from Lulusar
lake, runs through the city and merges with Jhelum River
just outside Muzaffarabad
in Pakistan administered Kashmir.
, which is the largest Tehsil
of Mansehra District. It is also a Union Council
and administers the many surrounding smaller towns and villages.
, Awan
, Gujar
, Syed
, Mughal
and Hanki tribes. It is located on the banks of the River Kunhar before it enters the Kashmir Valley. The Sikhs tried to free Mansehra
in the 1818 but were met with resistance from the occupying army. As the Mansehra region fell under Sikh control, it was annexed to Punjab
. The movement placed Waziristan
, the Mohmand
country beyond Kunhar, Chitral
and Yusufzai tribes within the control and responsibility of the Indian government. Syed Ahmad Shaheed
and Shah Ismail Shaheed
, with the help of the Mujahadeen, including the local tribes of tehsil Balakot from Kaghan to Garhi Habibullah led many revolts and attacks against the Sikhs. At last on 6 May 1831, during a fierce battle, Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Shah Ismail Shaheed along with hundreds of their followers were killed. The central mosque of Balakot is named after Syed Ahmed Shaheed. The areas includes diverse groups, the spoken languages are Hindko and Gojri
.
on 8 October 2005. The United Arab Emirates
has volunteered to rebuild this town into an improved one with housing colonies, schools, hospitals, and other civic facilities. However the Pakistan government has announced that the city will be relocated.
Mansehra District
Mansehra District is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, an area still unofficially known as the Northwest Frontier. Mansehra district and town are named after Man Singh, a leading general of Mughal Emperor Akbar...
in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The town was destroyed during the 2005 earthquake and later rebuilt with the assistance of the Government of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV), a Saudi relief organization. A separate project, initiated by the Government of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
'New Balakot City' is being developed near Mansehra
Mansehra
Mansehra city is located at in Mansehra District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is very near to Abbottabad city. It is a major stop for tourists on the Karakoram Highway which leads to China...
, with plans to relocate the population of two Union Councils of Balakot, demarcated as a Red Zone.
Location
Mansehra
Mansehra city is located at in Mansehra District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is very near to Abbottabad city. It is a major stop for tourists on the Karakoram Highway which leads to China...
, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
It is a historical town, a famous tourist destination of the region and the gateway to Kaghan valley
Kaghan Valley
The Kaghan Valley is a valley in the north-east of Mansehra District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It attracts many tourists from around the world. The inhabitants were affected by the earthquake disaster on 8 October 2005....
of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The river Kunhar, originating from Lulusar
Lulusar
Lulusar is group of mountain peaks and a lake in the Kaghan Valley in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The word "sar" means "top" or "peak" in Pashto. The highest peak has a height of above sea level...
lake, runs through the city and merges with Jhelum River
Jhelum River
Jehlum River or Jhelum River , ) is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...
just outside Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...
in Pakistan administered Kashmir.
Administration
Balakot is one of the main cities of Mansehra District. It serves as the chief city of Balakot TehsilBalakot (tehsil)
Balakot Tehsil is a subdivision of Mansehra District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.Balakot is the main city of this area. It was one of the towns which was most damaged in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake on 8 October 2005 and an estimated 80% of the buildings there were destroyed...
, which is the largest Tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
of Mansehra District. It is also a Union Council
Union Councils of Pakistan
A sherwan or village council in Pakistan is an elected local government body consisting of 21 councillors, and headed by a nazim and a naib nazim...
and administers the many surrounding smaller towns and villages.
History
The town or village of Balakot is occupied mainly by members of the SwatiSwati
Swati may refer to:* Swati language, Bantu language spoken in Swaziland and South Africa* Swati , Pashtun tribe in Pakistan** Riffat Akbar Swati** Sa'adat Khan Swati* Swati the Star, star in ancient Sanskrit scriptures that corresponds to Arcturus...
, Awan
Awan (Pakistan)
Awan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
, Gujar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
, Syed
Syed
Syed is a masculine given name derived from the title Sayyid, it is not to be confused with the similar looking name Sayid...
, Mughal
Mughal (tribe)
The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
and Hanki tribes. It is located on the banks of the River Kunhar before it enters the Kashmir Valley. The Sikhs tried to free Mansehra
Mansehra
Mansehra city is located at in Mansehra District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is very near to Abbottabad city. It is a major stop for tourists on the Karakoram Highway which leads to China...
in the 1818 but were met with resistance from the occupying army. As the Mansehra region fell under Sikh control, it was annexed to Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. The movement placed Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
, the Mohmand
Mohmand
The Mohmand are a clan of Sarban Pashtuns, living primarily in the FATA & Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan & northeastern Afghanistan.- Demographics :...
country beyond Kunhar, Chitral
Chitral
Chitral or Chetrar , translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the capital of the Chitral District, situated on the western bank of the Kunar River , in Pakistan. The town is at the foot of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, high...
and Yusufzai tribes within the control and responsibility of the Indian government. Syed Ahmad Shaheed
Syed Ahmad Shaheed
Not to be confused with Ahmed Raza Khan BarelviSyed Ahmad Shaheed , also called Syed Ahmed Barelvi, was a Muslim activist from Rae Bareli, India. and founder of the "The Way of the Prophet Muhammad" , a revolutionary Islamic movement...
and Shah Ismail Shaheed
Shah Ismail Shaheed
Shah Ismail Shaheed was a scholar of Islam and a warrior in the jihad proclaimed by Syed Ahmed Shaheed against the Sikhs kingdom in punjab in 19th century.-Early life:...
, with the help of the Mujahadeen, including the local tribes of tehsil Balakot from Kaghan to Garhi Habibullah led many revolts and attacks against the Sikhs. At last on 6 May 1831, during a fierce battle, Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Shah Ismail Shaheed along with hundreds of their followers were killed. The central mosque of Balakot is named after Syed Ahmed Shaheed. The areas includes diverse groups, the spoken languages are Hindko and Gojri
Gojri
Gojri, also known as Gujari is a variety of Rajasthani spoken by the Gujjars of Northern-Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.Rajasthani, Marwari and Gujarati are evolved from Gujari. The language was known as Gujjar bhakha or Gurjar Apabhramsha lately. It was used as literary language as early as 12th...
.
Earthquake 2005
The town was completely destroyed in the massive earthquake2005 Kashmir earthquake
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centered in Pakistan-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, affecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time on 8 October 2005...
on 8 October 2005. The United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
has volunteered to rebuild this town into an improved one with housing colonies, schools, hospitals, and other civic facilities. However the Pakistan government has announced that the city will be relocated.